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Ed Bouchette's Steelers Chat Transcript: 6/7/11

Ed Bouchette's Steelers Chat Transcript

TUESDAY, 07 JUNE 2011 WRITTEN BY DAN GIGLER

Ed Bouchette: Good afternoon, let's begin our chat.
JamesinNYC: Burress a lot more hassel then he would ever be worth?

Ed Bouchette: I don't know what the hassle would be. When I wrote the Steelers should look into him, I prefaced by saying provided he is in shape physically and mentally, that the price was right, and that he would be willing to take a lesser role as a possible non-starter.

Okiesteelerfan: Ed your thoughts on the fact that the NFL will lose 1of 5 fans this fall. I think it goes deeper. I will watch all the Steelers games I can its the other games the NFL will lose me for. The Monday, Thursday and Sunday games that involve other teams. Lost revenue that I am not sure the NFL owners realize from the fans of the game itself.

Ed Bouchette: As I wrote earlier in my blog, I don't believe any of that. What a fan says today during a lockout and what he or she actually does when there is football, I believe would be two different things. You will all be back, don't kid yourself.

Tprod: Ed, assuming the Steelers resign Willie Colon, other than Tony Hills who looks to be the " Deadman walking; among the remaining linemen?

Ed Bouchette: That has a way to go because Jonathan Scott is unrestricted and Colon could be as well. They only drafted two, a tackle and a guard and there's no guarantee the rookie guard makes it.

Ed Bouchette: And add Trai Essex as either a UFA or RFA.

#1 Steeler Fan in TN {JT}: Hey Ed, I think B. McFadden is an average corner but would make a good free safety an heir apparent to Ryan Clark. He tackles well, plays the ball well and would have above average speed as a safety, what do you think?

Ed Bouchette: I've never heard a hint of the chances he could move to safety and unless you find a few more corners better than him, he's more valuable as a corner. McFadden is no puppy either. He turns 30 in November, just 2 years younger than Clark.

SteelerPuertoRico: Ed Good afternoon. It is obvious that the longer it takes to the judge panel to decide whether they going to lift up the lock out, the slimmer are the chances of a full season. Now they are taking about playing eight games? How do you think that the football community, in particular the fans are going to react if this is true? Will they watch football at all?

Ed Bouchette: I stated my opinion on that a little earlier. Fans will come back, just as the did after nearly half the 1982 season was wiped out, just as they did when the 1987 strike games were forced on them. What, you going to watch soap operas instead? Or, as Ron Cook suggested, play with your kids more? Kids don't need you to play with them more -- they need to play with other kids more.

Chooch: Are you surprised that there has been no talk of the Raisins looking at Burress? I think he could really help their WR corps.

Ed Bouchette: I was leaning more toward the cantaloupes, seem more Plax's style.

Wild Bill: Any guess as to where the Steelers plan to go for their next place kicker?

Ed Bouchette: Maybe they just re-sign Suisham.

Okiesteelerfan: Ed whats your take on the "secret" meetings last week of players and owners and of the cancellation of the mediation this week because both parties are in "settlement" talks?

Ed Bouchette: I think they're still waiting a ruling from the appeals court. I have seen more optimism from some informed members of my business that a deal could be struck soon.

Guest: What are the Steeler coaches doing during this lockout? Kinda puts them in limbo with no one to coach. Do they even report to the practice facility?

Ed Bouchette: They've all been on vacation for the past few weeks and will continue to do so unless there's reason for them to come back before training camp starts, when and if it starts.

Hamburger Jones: Let's say for sake of argument Farrior has 2 more years in him. Timmons is a free agent after next season (if there is a season). Could we be looking at a major shakeup at ILB in the next 2-3 years?

Ed Bouchette: Don't know what you mean by "major.'' There always is going to be change. Farrior is 36, Timmons can be a free agent in 2012 provided he does not re-sign, and James Harrison turned 33 last month. It's hard to figure out what's going to happen in September, never mind in 2013 or 2014. There may be another one gone by then -- me.

Wild Bill: Ed, how concerned should we be that the next cba will create a situation like that of baseball, that favors large market cities and disrupts the competitive balance we've had?

Ed Bouchette: Tampa Bay, Miami, Cleveland, Minnesota (previous to this year), Seattle, Milwaukee don't seem to be affected as baseball small market teams. I think that is overplayed, especially here in Pittsburgh because the Pirates haven't had a winning season since 1992. Also, football is a different animal as I've said many times. All you have to do is look at two big spenders in football, Washington and Dallas, and tell me they've had success, never mind dominated anything.

Steel Curtain Rising: Question one in the 'I always wanted to know' category: Who was the main driver behind the Steelers decision to extend Kordell Stwart's contract after the 1998 season – Donahoe, Cowher, or the Rooneys?

Ed Bouchette: Don't know that answer but I do know that Dan Rooney really was enthusiastic about it, so I'm going to guess it was him. But Rooney would not have done it without the knowledge and blessing from the other two. He was not going to sign a quarterback that his coach did not want, especially to the $8.2 million bonus he gave him.

Steel Curtain Rising: Ed, you discussed this a little in Dawn of a New Steel Age, but can you elaborate on why the quality of the drafting slipped fro the Steelers from the early-to mid-70's to the late 70's an early 80's?

Ed Bouchette: The Steelers were stocked with talent that would win four Super Bowls in six years, and there was little room to add draft picks to that group. Even their first-round pick in 1975, Dave Brown, was left unprotected in the expansion draft of 1976 and he went to Seattle and played well there for years. Also, because they knew their draft picks had less chance of making it, the Steelers tried to hit more home runs rather than doing what they always did, taking the best player available. They would look at a weak spot and draft a guy to fill it, or look the other way if there were red flags. One more thing: The Steelers had a great little scouting department and a compliment in Blesto in the early '70s and the draft was held early too, in January. Once they pushed the draft back, it gave other teams more time to evaluate and more information to leak out and more time to test the players, which is when the combine stuff started, thus sharing more info. That hurt the Steelers.

Hinestheman: Ed, in the free agency era, it is rare to see a player start and finish his career with the same team (10 years minimum) - Right now, in the AFC north, Hines and Ray Ray are the two that will most likely accomplish the feat... What Steelers draftee, on the current roster do you think will finish his career with the Steelers (Ben? Troy?)

Chooch: With Ziggy's progress this past year, do you see the Steelers going to more of a rotational DL scheme in 2011?

Ed Bouchette: Yes, they actually like to do that because it keeps everyone fresh, but when you had Aaron Smith in his prime, they did it less and less and Brett Keisel came on and it was the same there. It depends on Smith's health and Hood's progress, along with that of Cameron Heyward.

Steel Curtain Rising: Ed, you went on vacation in 2006 and Ben had his accident. In 2008 you were out when the Rooney-restructuring story broke. In 2010 you left town and Midgeville broke and the Steelers signed 3-4 free agents. Has Art Rooney II pleaded with you and your wife not to take any time off?

Ed Bouchette: Note: I take vacation every year, pretty much the same time of the year. I was not on vacation for Milledgeville and covered a lot of that. I also wrote about Ben's accident for two straight days while I was on vacation. I was told about the Rooney ownership change while driving to Boston. The way I figure it, a new CBA will be announced on Monday, while I'm having a cup of coffee thinking about all I want to get accomplished during my time off. And, for the record, I'm single (but spoken for).

TBurg_Pete: Since you posted odds on the Steelers obtaining Plax, can I call you Ed the Greek this week?

Ed Bouchette: I'm French and Irish and Bodog.com (which sounds very German) sent me those.

TBurg_Pete: Mr. Bouchette,speaking of Kordell, do you think he could have had a more productive career had he stayed at receiver?

Ed Bouchette: That's a popular myth. I think he would have been a more productive quarterback if his coaches had more faith in him, had he buckled down a little more learning the position and had he never played a down at wide receiver. He DID make the Pro Bowl as a quarterback and was voted by his teammates as their MVP the same year, 2001. Several games intno the 2002 season, he was benched.

michael: Ed, assuming there is a season, who wins the AFC north?

Ed Bouchette: You have to like the Steelers chances and, once again, the Ravens to challenge them.

Giggety: Hi Ed - I know this isn't something that the league is thinking about, but I'm curious - what would your thoughts be on changing the way interception stats are kept? So many interceptions these days are the result of tipped balls and receivers running wrong routes, etc., so to me it doesn't seem fair that the QB gets saddled with the negative stat.

Ed Bouchette: It's football, not a vote on health care. The QB gets credit when the receivers make great plays or when the DB tips it to one of his receivers. Too bad if it's not fair.

michael: Hi Ed, do you see both Gay and McFadden being with the Steelers this year, assuming there is a season

Ed Bouchette: McFadden, definitely; he has a contract. And I think Gay will re-sign if he is a UFA.

Ed Bouchette: Thanks for your questions. That's it for awhile for my chats. The Slogs will continue with some I have written and will be posted periodically, from guest Slogs, from Gerry Dulac and maybe even more. Have a good summer.

Re: Ed Bouchette's Steelers Chat Transcript: 6/7/11

It doesn’t take a Steelers insider like Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to know that signing Nnamdi Asomugha to a big contract just isn’t the way that Pittburgh does business.

Bouchette has said numerous times this offseason it was his opinion that Pittsburgh would not pursue Asomugha. He has now officially confirmed it with the team, and can report it won’t happen.

So the Steelers won’t go after Asomugha. The Eagles are reportedly lukewarm about him, although we have our doubts about that.

Teams like the Redskins, Raiders, Texans, and Bucs to name a few make a lot of sense for Asomugha. Asomugha should have a big enough market to come close to Darrelle Revis‘ contract, if he doesn’t top it.

Re: Ed Bouchette's Steelers Chat Transcript: 6/7/11

NFL Star Sues Billionaire's Son Over La Jolla Home

The famously coiffed NFL star Troy Polamalu and his wife are suing the son of local billionaire Ernest Rady, saying he sold them a $4.75 million La Jolla home whose backyard then collapsed into a canyon.

Harry Rady, son of financier and philanthropist Ernest Rady, said through his lawyer that he didn't own the property, although he owns a share of the corporation that did.

Polamalu and his wife, Theodora, say in their lawsuit that they purchased a home on Colgate Circle, near La Jolla Scenic Drive, in 2009 and spent more than $2.3 million improving it. Then last December, the suit says, about 2,000 square feet of their backyard collapsed, following an earlier landslide in January 2010.

The Polamalus blame Rady. Their attorney, Stuart M. Eppsteiner, said in a statement that Rady essentially "bought an old house in La Jolla, tore it down to the foundation, built a new house, and imported 4,000 cubic yards of soil to create a large backyard extending out into a canyon. Unfortunately for the Polamalus, Rady never disclosed the grading, let alone the fact that it was performed without permits, inspections or approvals from the City of San Diego. The concealed and unpermitted work has literally slid into the canyon behind the home."

Polamalu is a defensive back with the Pittsburgh Steelers, known for his giant head of hair and the skills on the field that helped lead his team to the Super Bowl in January. Last season, the Associated Press named him NFL Defensive Player of the year. He played collegiate football at the University of Southern California.

The Polamalus are suing Rady along with a construction company, a corporation linked to Rady, a real estate company and a real estate agent, seeking damages of $7.5 million.

In a brief statement, Rady's attorney, Arthur S. Moreau, said the property is owned by the corporation HRMR Inc., in which Rady has an ownership interest. The firm relied on the expertise of construction workers, the statement says, adding that both the corporation and Rady strongly contest the allegations.

Harry Rady is CEO of Rady Asset Management Company and manages a mutual fund. The company website says he's chairman of the investment committee for Rady Children's Hospital San Diego and sits on the Dean's Advisory Board at the Rady School of Management at UCSD.

We wrote about Harry Rady in 2007, when he pleaded guilty to one count of receiving firearms without a license, connected to his efforts to protect his family after a well-publicized crime at his father's home. Federal authorities discovered an arsenal of weapons at his home, including rifles, shotguns, pistols and grenades. At least six weapons were illegal in California.

Ernest Rady, his wife and their housekeeper were attacked and bound during a home invasion robbery earlier in 2007.

Re: Ed Bouchette's Steelers Chat Transcript: 6/7/11

We need to end this lockout now. I realize that if Troy practices at our team headquarters, his ankles may be susceptible to stepping in potholes on the practice field, but that's better than him trying to work out in his backyard and risk falling into a d@mn canyon.

The Rams' offense featuring weapons such as Marshall Faulk, Torrey Holt, and Isaac Bruce were known as "The Greatest Show on Turf"

The Steelers' offense featuring weapons such as Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant should be known as "The Greatest Show on Grass"

This has nothing at all to do with respective playing surfaces at the Edward Jones Dome vs. Heinz Field.